FamilyCalendar

Tuesdays (July 11, 18, 25)

Tuesday Time Out Storytime

11:00 AM Grand Bay Library, 10329 Freeland Ave Grand Bay, AL, 36541 Storytime for ages 0-5 www.mobilepubliclibrary.org

Every Wednesday

Wonderful Wednesday Storytime www.mobilepubliclibrary.org

10:00 AM - 10:30 AM, Theodore Oaks, 5808 US-90 West E Theodore, AL Join us for stories and songs and lots of fun!

Good Listener Storytime

10:00 AM Moorer/Spring Hill Branch, 4 McGregor Ave Mobile, AL, 36608 Storytime

251-494-4140 www.mobilepubliclibrary.org

Preschooler Storytime

10:30 AM Saraland Public Library, 111 Saraland Loop Saraland, AL, 36571 Preschooler Storytime

251-675-2879 www.mobilepubliclibrary.org

Good Listener Storytime at Semmes www.mobilepubliclibrary.org

10:30 AM Semmes Regional Library, 9150 Moffett Road Semmes, AL, 36575 Join us for stories, songs, and dances!

Shake, Rattle, & Read Storytime at West Regional Library

10:00 AM West Regional Public Library, 5555 Grelot Rd Mobile, AL, 36609 Join us in the Meeting Room every Wednesday and Thursday morning at 10:00 a.m. for this storytime program designed for infants and children up to age three. Help stimulate their early literacy skills and enjoy meeting other parents!

251-340-8571 www.mobilepubliclibrary.org

Teen Anime Hangout at Ben May Main Library

3:30 PM - 5:00 PM, Ben May Main Library, 701 Government St Mobile, AL, 36602 Join us upstairs at the Ben May Main Library Teen Hangout to enjoy anime, video games, and snacks. www.mobilepubliclibrary.org

Every Second Wednesday

Learning Lunch (Free)

12:00 PM History Museum of Mobile, 111 S Royal Street Mobile, AL, 36602

This series allows guests to enjoy free presentations on a wide range of historical and cultural topics. Admission to Learning Lunch is free. Bring your lunch and enjoy complimentary beverages.

251-208-7569 www.historymuseumofmobile.com

Wednesday and Thursday

Read and Sign (ASL) Storytime at West Regional Library

11:00 AM West Regional Public Library, 5555 Grelot Rd Mobile, AL, 36609 Join us in the Meeting Room for books, songs, sign language and for ages 3 - 5! 251-340-8571 www.mobilepubliclibrary.org

Every other Wednesday

Sign It Your Way and More

2:00 PM Semmes Regional Library, 9150 Moffett Road Semmes, AL, 36575 Create sign language arts & crafts, or try scavenger hunts, games & more. Ages 6-14.

251-494-4935 www.mobilepubliclibrary.org

Thursdays in June and July

Art Voyage Thursday

11:00 AM - 1:00 PM, Semmes Regional Library, 9150 Moffett Road Semmes, AL, 36575 Join us in a fantastical art journey around the world as we explore different cultures each week and create fun, one-of- kind art forms. Registration is recommended! For more information, please email Ms. Lee at jlee@mplonline. org or call (251) 494-4935. 251-494-4935 www.mobilepubliclibrary.org

Everything and More Crafts and Games Day

2:30 PM Parkway Branch, 1924 Dauphin Island Pkwy B Mobile, AL, 36605 Quick simple crafts for young and old. Participants can work with a partner or individually. We will also work all together to create paper quilts; a kindness craft; and more. www.mobilepubliclibrary.org

Racing to Read Storytime

3:00 PM Ben May Main Library, 701 Government St Mobile, AL, 36602 Practice investigation, decisionmaking, cooperation, persistence, and problem solving. Wear clothes that can get messy. Ages 3-5 www.mobilepubliclibrary.org

Every Thursday

Chess Club

4:00 PM Semmes Regional Library, 9150 Moffett Road Semmes, AL, 36575 Semmes Regional Library Chess Club is designed for children and teens ages 6 - 18. Playing chess improves concentration and problemsolving skills. No experience is necessary www.mobilepubliclibrary.org

Throwdown Thursday - Video and Board Games for Teens at West

3:30 PM West Regional Public Library, 5555 Grelot Rd Mobile, AL, 36609 This is a laid-back meetup to unwind playing games with other teens. We will have various board games, nintendo switch, playstation and xbox games for multiplayer matchups that include various genres - puzzle, racing, fighting, shooting, and open-world-type games. Sometimes there will also be additional activities like 3d pens and fuse beads for expressing your creative side! 251-340-8571 www.mobilepubliclibrary.org

Thursdays (July 6, 13, 20)

Create it, Build it, Play it! at Grand Bay

4:00 PM Grand Bay Library, 10329 Freeland Ave Grand Bay, AL, 36541 Join us in the Meeting Room every other Thursday in for some fun with crafts and activities! Get creative and have fun with other people that love arts and crafts! www.mobilepubliclibrary.org

Every Friday

Little Explorers

10:30 AM Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center & IMAX Theater, 65 Government Street Mobile, AL, 36602 Exploring the world one tiny step at a time. Every Friday from 10:30-11:00 am in the Nature Pavilion and the Moorer Courtyard with Ms. Charise. Included in General Admission. Free for Exploreum members. www.exploreum.com

Every Second Friday

LoDA Artwalk www.mobilearts.org/art-walk/

6:00 PM - 9:00 PM, Downtown Mobile, Mobile, AL, 36602 Celebrating the arts in downtown Mobile! Explore this free monthly showcase of visual and performing arts.

Every Saturday - July 8

Market in the Park: Spring 2023

7:30 AM - 12:00 PM, Cathedral Square, Mobile, AL, 36602 Shop locally grown, locally produced and handmade items all while listening to live entertainment. https://www.cityofmobile. org/parks-rec/events/market-in-the-park-spring-2023

Every Saturday

Saturday Science www.exploreum.com

10:30 AM - 2:30 PM, Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center & IMAX Theater, 65 Government Street Mobile, AL, 36602 Join us for Saturday Science! Demonstrations will be shown in our various Lab and Headquarters throughout the day.

Saturday Crafternoon

3:00 PM - 3:30 PM, Theodore Oaks, 5808 US-90 West E Theodore, AL, 36582 Come celebrate the upcoming 159th Battle of Mobile Bay sponsored by the 6th Alabama Cavalry & the Alabama Division of Reenactors. This two-day event is at historic Fort Gaines. Saturday will be the Battle of Mobile Bay reenactment & surrender ceremony, and Sunday will feature a Tactical www.mobilepubliclibrary.org

Every Third Saturday

WeMo Market

4:00 PM - 9:00 PM, Redbar Espresso & Market, 7681 Old Shell Road Mobile, AL, 36608 Join us for this fun event with 40+ Vendors, sunset yoga, music, and more. Third Saturdays from 4pm-9pm. https://www.facebook.com/RedBarEspresso

Every Second Saturday

Saturdays at the Coop

7:00 PM Cooper Riverside Park, Mobile, AL, 36602 Fill your weekend with good times and great music at Cooper Riverside Park every Saturday after ArtWalk! Our free concerts run from 7-10 PM and feature bands from a variety of genres including, but not limited to jazz, metal, country, rock, and pop. Come enjoy music under the stars and don’t forget to bring a folding chair or blanket and snacks! https://www.cityofmobile.org/parks-rec/events

First Sunday of the month

Free First Sunday - History Museum of Mobile (Free)

1:00 PM History Museum of Mobile, 111 S Royal Street Mobile, AL, 36602 Free admission for all visitors sponsored by Wind Creek Hospitality every first Sunday of the month!

251-208-7569 www.historymuseumofmobile.com

First and third Sundays

Animal Ambassadors

2:00 PM Five Rivers Delta Center, 30945 Five Rivers Boulevard Spanish Fort, AL, 36527 Join us at 2 PM as we present one or more of our live educational animals. Free, family friendly, no registration required. www.outdooralabama.com/activities/5-rivers-alabama-delta-resource-center

Please check with each venue prior to attending the event to verify the information provided is still accurate and up to date.

What’s “Old” Is “New” for Today’s Kids

Kids these days! I bet you have heard your grandparents or parents say this, or maybe you have even said it. If you are north of 30, you probably have. It seems every generation thinks the younger generation is just “too much” or “not enough” according to the older generation’s standards. Too much music and TV and not enough outside time was the complaint my grandparents leveled at my generation.

Today’s parents and grandparents probably believe “too much device time and not enough outside time.” This brings me to a thread of consistency over generations; we must get our kids outside. Why is this important?

According to Google: “If you spend time outdoors in green spaces, your cortisol levels decrease. When your cortisol levels decrease, your stress and anxiety decline, and you gain better control of your emotions, including fear and anger. Without stress, your body functions as it should.” But beyond this, why is it essential for our kids to be outdoors?

Playing outside promotes curiosity, creativity and critical thinking. Studies have found that children who spent more time exploring nature had improved learning outcomes. Kids were more positive in behavior. Research shows that when children spent time in natural settings, they had less anger and aggression. When we get outside, we simply breathe better. Our bodies settle. Fight or flight mode decreases. All of these positive outcomes are the opposite of what happens when we stay inside and on devices. Also, spoiler alert, if you sit outside but stay on your phone, you negate the benefits of being outside. The whole point is to engage with nature.

What is really interesting is that our bodies instinctively tell us that we feel better when we are away from our devices. Previous generations not only know this, but they also honor what their bodies need. Today’s generation has gotten good at not listening to their bodies cues.

The noise from devices and social media is much stronger than our bodies’ subtle nudge until it is too late. What do I mean by too late? I mean after we begin showing signs of anxiety, depression, frustration, and loneliness. But we can combat this by listening to the generations before us.

What feels “old hat’ to our grandparents will feel “new” to our kids today. Going outside for a walk, digging in the dirt to plant a garden, fishing, swimming in a stream, sitting out for a cold drink with friends…these things feel “new” to our kids. They may not be used to these activities and do not know how good they make them feel until they actually do them. It is becoming more and more apparent that we must teach new generations these “old hat” tricks.

Kids born this year will never know a world without AI. Their lives will be inundated with technology. And I, for one, do not believe that our children will have evolved so much in the next 15-20 years that they will struggle less than today’s youth with the constant technology. I believe the opposite is accurate, and they will struggle even more.

Evolution is slow for a reason. Change needs to be slow. We can help our children and grandchildren by teaching them to listen to those subtle cues. Listen to their bodies. Take them outside. Teach them to get their hands dirty, go for walks, and drink lemonade on the front porch.

In an overcomplicated world, this seems so simple. But it is not only incredibly effective at combating the psychosocial and emotional issues our kids face today due to devices; it prepares them for years to come. It is our way “out” of the constant stress of the online world. It is the answer that we consistently look for. It is free. It is simple.

Kristi Bush serves as a national education consultant and social media safety advocate. She is a licensed social worker with greater than 15 years of clinical practice and health care experience. She attended Troy and Auburn University where she studied social work and counseling. Kristi travels nationally and has spoken with thousands of children, parents, professionals and organizations about the benefits and threats associated with social media. You may reach Kristi through her website at www.knbcommunications.com.